Designing Learning (Key Guides for Effective Teaching in Higher Education)

Bridging the gap between theory and practice, this fully updated new edition of Designing Learning offers accessible guidance to help those new to teaching in higher education to design and develop a course. With new considerations to the higher education context, this book uses current educational research to support staff in their endeavour to design and develop modules and degree courses of the highest quality.

Offering guidance on every stage, from planning to preparing materials and resources, with a focus on the promotion of learning, this book considers:

• Course design models and shapes, and their impact on learning
• How the external influences of learning and teaching are translated by different institutions
• How to match the content of a course to its outcomes
• Frameworks to enable communication between staff and students about expectations and standards
• Taking into account the diverse student population when designing a course
• The place of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), communication tools and systems for monitoring students' engagement
• The importance of linking all aspects of the taught curriculum and wider co-/extra-curricular activities to support learning
• Ways to evaluate and enhance a course and to develop oneself as a teaching professional in HE.

Providing advice, illustrative examples and case studies, Designing Learning is a comprehensive guide to designing a high-quality course. This book is a must-read for any academic looking to create or update their course or module.

Christopher Butcher is a higher education consultant working with a number of institutions across the UK and Europe.

Clara Davies is formerly the Head of Academic Staff Development at Leeds Beckett University, UK, and is now an independent higher education consultant.

Melissa Highton is Assistant Principal for Online Learning and Director of Learning, Teaching and Web Services at University of Edinburgh, UK.